hnnhcronin For many decades, luxury brands have achieved success through promoting an exclusive image, one that could not be achieved by “just anyone.” Fashion companies relied on magazines such as Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar to serve as their de facto publicity arms for their fashion statements. Premier labels never wanted to be associated with the urban masses until today. Because social media allows brands to reach a much larger consumer set, they must tap into the mindsets of their new customers. These new customers, the adventurous, open-minded generation associate a certain lifestyle with a brand rather than the older concept of exclusivity. Branding is no longer as simple as a photo in a magazine; brands build a narrative and an ethos around a lifestyle utilizing all mediums of communication, from social media to partnerships with influencers, to fashion shows and store decor.
Luxury brands have learned that product identification begins early: by partnering with streetwear brands luxury brands to gain the attention of their younger, urban consumers.. Streetwear brands offer cool, casual and sporty clothing accompanied by a plethora of product drops throughout a given year to pique consumer interest. Currently, sneakers continue to be the craze. Sneaker fashion started with small pop-up shops and streetwear brands and has now made its way up to the likes of Gucci and Fendi. Rappers have become massive fashion influencers throughout this decade, so sneakers, sweatshirts, and casual clothing with a downtown vibe have resonated well with shoppers. Luxury is learning that it can take some cues from grassroots brands, who are closer to the mindset of millennial and Gen-Z shoppers who live the eclectic lifestyle shown off in their products. Streetwear brands often have a cult following that can certainly boost sales at more upscale companies.
Louis Vuitton is especially trying to up their cool with fresh new talent and collaborations. In 2017, Louis Vuitton collaborated with skate brand Supreme in a collection that appeared at men’s fashion week, with products appearing in select Louis Vuitton locations and some pop-up shops throughout the country. Louis Vuitton and Supreme is an example of the “win-win” relationship: Louis Vuitton benefits from the collaboration to extend its brand relevance by making use of Supreme’s massive trend power at the moment. Supreme accesses Louis Vuitton’s cache in the luxury end of the market. In that spirit, Louis Vuitton appointed Virgil Abloh, founder of celebrity-favorite high end streetwear brand OFF-WHITE, as the menswear creative director; Abloh recently made his extremely well-received debut with creative ensembles inspired by the Wizard of Oz representative of Abloh’s own journey to this moment.
Like Louis Vuitton, Burberry partnered with a famed streetwear designer Gosha Rubchinskiy. In the most recent collection, Rubchinskiy displayed a more modern take on the classic Burberry plaid, by constructing less tailored, more free-flowing pieces of clothing for a more unfinished look. Although even with the new spin, the designer stays true to Burberry’s heritage and makes the outerwear the most important part of every ensemble on the runway. The first Burberry x Gosha collection was inspired by football and rave lifestyles in Russia (home to Gosha) in the 1980s and 1990s. Both collaborations have proven successful for Burberry among the younger crowd.
Even high-end shoe company Manolo Blahnik has jumped on board with collaborations. Manolo Blahnik partnered with Vetements in the Fall 2016 Haute Couture fashion week in Paris. Like OFF-WHITE, Vetements is an incredibly popular avant-garde streetwear brand that sells hoodies and denim for over $1000! The joint venture created a pair of sky-high satin boots that is either on everyone’s wish lists or in their closets, worn by the likes of Kim Kardashian and Rihanna. They also released a variety of satin pumps that added an edgy twist to the classic Manolo design. The blend between Manolo Blahnik’s timeless, signature look and the more deconstructed design approach of Vetements made an ideal match.
Millennials have a penchant for casual and sporty street style, but aspire to the lifestyles promoted by luxury brands. The interconnection between these two traditionally different markets make for much more diversity among luxury consumers. Each generation has its own take on and appreciation of luxury. Melding the “here and now” statement of a logo of the hot streetwear with the heritage of a well-regarded and crafted luxury brand makes good fashion and business sense.
